Endless Ocean: Survival Begins with a Dugout Canoe-Chapter 46 - 44: Upgrading the Navigator, Mist Jellyfish Attack
The undercurrents beneath the sea were far more turbulent than the threats on the surface.
Moreover, Shi Ming had to consider that if he left the ship alone to find a solution, he might not be able to find his way back.
If he failed to find a solution and ended up getting lost, it would be a double loss.
Shi Ming would only consider this plan as a last resort.
Shi Ming could think of at least three other viable plans. The most reliable one was to have the crew use the rich Sea Crystal Stone energy here to extract large quantities of Sea Crystal Stones at full speed.
Then, using the High-Level Sea Crystal Stones they obtained, they could upgrade the drifting ship’s navigation instrument.
Perhaps it could then point them toward the correct course.
The GPS of his past life had long since lost its signal in this era. Now, on the Endless Ocean, a vast expanse of water with no reference points, the most common navigation instrument on a ship was the magnetic compass. This wasn’t a simple geomagnetic north-pointer, but a high-tech navigation tool that incorporated radar and analysis systems.
But its basic principle wasn’t much different from an ordinary compass.
People used instruments like the magnetic compass to determine direction and sextants to fix their coordinates. But it couldn’t be ruled out that more advanced drifting ships possessed other, more advanced instruments.
The moment the ship went off course, Shi Ming’s [Brain of Creation] had already scanned the drifting ship’s navigation instrument.
[Standard Navigator.]
[A high-tech instrument that can accurately determine direction using the geomagnetic field. It is an essential tool for drifting ships sailing on the Endless Ocean. It may be subject to interference in areas with strong magnetic fields.]
[Level: 2]
[Upgrade Requirements: High-Level Sea Crystal Stone x1, Iron Ore x10, Magnetite x10]
They had a reserve of magnetite on the ship, and many pieces of equipment contained it. If they really ran out, they could dismantle some in an emergency.
Having decided on his next course of action, Shi Ming calmly issued his orders—
The ship’s exploration team was to maintain a Level One alert and keep a constant watch on the ship’s surroundings.
The other crew members would take turns operating the ship’s energy production equipment at full capacity, taking advantage of the 350% Sea Crystal Stone concentration in the seawater here to accelerate Sea Crystal Stone production.
All High-Level Sea Crystal Stones were to be reported immediately!
Not a single one was to be missed!
RUMBLE—
Shi Ming could clearly feel the vibration of the machinery as he stood on the deck. Like the other members of the exploration team, he kept a constant watch on the calm sea, his eyes, deeper than the ocean itself, staring at every ripple on the endless expanse of water.
...
"Report, Captain! One High-Level Sea Crystal Stone has been produced!"
Their luck was good. It only took seventeen minutes to get a High-Level Sea Crystal Stone.
"Excellent. Bring it here!"
Dismissing the nearby crew, Shi Ming didn’t hesitate. He placed the High-Level Sea Crystal Stone on the navigator, along with the ten pieces of iron ore and ten pieces of magnetite he had prepared earlier. Then, he activated his Brain of Creation.
[Evolved Navigator.]
[A navigator with slightly improved anti-interference capabilities. It can accurately determine direction using the geomagnetic field and is a capable assistant for the captain of a drifting ship.]
[Level: 3]
[Upgrade Requirements: High-Level Sea Crystal Stone x3, Iron Ore x30, Magnetite x30]
Shi Ming frowned.
’Only a slight improvement?’
’It’s not enough.’
The magnetic field in this area was extremely strong. Unless the anti-interference capability was greatly improved, there was still no way to find the correct way out. ’I have to keep upgrading!’
’There’s still time.’
As time passed, he could occasionally hear the sounds of unknown creatures moving through the water nearby.
By now, the fog on the sea had grown extremely thick, and visibility was only about thirty meters. If he were standing near the helm, even with his sharp eyesight, Shi Ming would have trouble seeing anything on the water’s surface.
The crew had also slightly reduced the speed of the machinery to avoid making too much noise and attracting unwelcome guests from the sea.
During this time, the energy production equipment produced two more High-Level Sea Crystal Stones.
But the drifting ship’s situation was not looking good.
Because something was closing in.
GLUG—
GLUG—
Shi Ming’s expression turned extremely grim as he looked at the fog-shrouded surface of the water.
Tiny, young jellyfish, suspended in the seawater, had gathered around, surrounding the hull. They weren’t very large; it seemed they didn’t even qualify as D-rank sea beasts.
But there were a great many of them.
Their mesmerizing bodies emitted puffs of mist that blended with the surrounding fog.
"These are the young of the Mist Jellyfish. The mist they produce has a soporific effect, and the fog around us is getting thicker."
"Set sail. Let’s get away from here first and shake them off."
But just as Shi Ming gave the order, a loud SPLASHING sound came from the water. A giant, sapphire-colored jellyfish, surrounded by a multitude of smaller ones, surfaced.
It was like a mushroom cloud suddenly rising from the sea. Its translucent bell was perfectly round, giving it an ethereal quality, as if it weren’t a creature of flesh and blood.
Tendrils like mushroom hyphae hung from the edge of its bell, drifting and winding slowly in the deep water.
They looked like wandering Sea Serpents.
D-rank!
It was a D-rank Mist Jellyfish!
’Weren’t these creatures all hunted to extinction?’
’How are there still so many young ones, and this giant, millstone-like thing?’
As the jellyfish moved, a dense mist rose from it like smoke from a beacon tower, quickly merging with the surroundings. Its blue eyes, hidden beneath the bell, coldly stared at the behemoth before it, as if looking at prey it was destined to capture.
"Stop the stabilizers, set sail immediately."
Whether they could escape this area or not, their first priority was to get away from these densely packed Mist Jellyfish.
Although Shi Ming wasn’t afraid of a D-rank sea beast, his long-range attack methods were far too weak. ’I can’t just fight these things in close combat, can I? Who knows if they’re poisonous!’
’Then again,’ he thought, ’if a D-rank jellyfish is as big as a millstone, how ridiculously huge must that A-rank Mist Jellyfish that [Yellowstone] hunted have been?’
The drifting ship roared to life and set sail. It traveled for about three nautical miles in a random direction, temporarily shaking off the swarming creatures.
However, a good number of the smaller jellyfish, like disgusting barnacles, had actually attached themselves to the hull.
’Looks like we can’t escape them.’
Still, estimating the time, the third High-Level Sea Crystal Stone should be produced soon. ’Hopefully, after this upgrade, the navigator will be able to resist the magnetic field here.’
"Captain, we have a problem."
"Hm?"
"We’ve detected corrosion on the bottom of the ship from the jellyfish! The corrosion is quite severe. If we don’t deal with it, the ship might not last a day!"
"What?"
"Report, Captain! The equipment has produced another High-Level Sea Crystal Stone!"
Shi Ming’s expression hardened.
’Good, it’s finally here.’
With this High-Level Sea Crystal Stone, he now had all the materials to upgrade the navigator to level three. Whether they would fight or retreat next would depend on the result of this upgrade from the Brain of Creation.
If they could retreat, Shi Ming had no desire to fight these swarming things.
If not, then it would be a contest to see whether his blade was faster, or if these little things could spew their mist faster.
